Oh dear, the things that excite me these days! Our butter dish has been looking a bit worse for wear and I've been keeping an eye open for a replacement for a while now. A chip on the plate and a missing handle, although giving it character, were making it hard to look at everyday!

I love a good car boot sale but all summer I've found nothing! My friend Netta had a table at a table top sale today and i thought I'd pop up. I found the perfect replacement which i washed as soon as i got home and transferred the butter over!

I also got some new wool from ebay for crocheting hats, which is lovely. Its called Manos del Uruguay from Uruguay in south America. Its beautiful wool all hand dyed by artisans over there. Its a great organisation with their aim...
"To bring economic and social opportunities to rural women."

Its for a good cause so it makes me feel better buying it! Its so soft and lovely for hats and it was £4 cheaper on ebay than the place i get it over here! I always like to buy local when i can but come on!

Over Christmas i made hats for all the family for their presents. I only know one stitch at the moment (double stitch) so they were all very similar. I have the book Crocheting for dummies which i just haven't got round to reading. My plan was to be a pro at it by now!


I made the mistake of not doing a test patch in the wash as I put our hats through the wash and they shrunk, woops. Luckily we have an old school hat stretcher which has come in handy.
The one on the stretcher is one i made after Christmas for myself with the leftover little bundles i had. It was so cold here, we got a nice big batch of snow so a good excuse to finally make myself one. It was a lovely and slouchy fit but once in the wash it shrank down to beanie size! I love the lime green colour of the new skein I've bought so i might try and make it extra big before the wash.

Tonight on the menu is salmon. I'm going to coat it in a marinade of honey, lemon, soy sauce and whole grain mustard. I'll cook it in a griddle pan and serve with steamed veg, some sprouts and leeks, and maybe some mash potato.. yum! Better get cooking now!